Boxes with a single pair of closure flaps



July 27, 1965 L. K. NEUMAN a-rm.

BOXES WITH A SINGLE PAIR OF CLOSURE FLAPS Filed April 16, 1963 7QVENTORS M52 MM United States Patent 3,197,119 BQXE-l WITH A dlNGLE PAER0F CLOSURE FLAPS Larry E. Nenman, New Berlin, and Harold J. Melotik,

Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Miller Brewing Zornpany, Milwaukee, Win, acorporation of Wisconsin Filed Apr. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 273,424- 1 Claim.(Cl. 229-38) This invention relates to improvements in boxes with asingle pair of closure flaps, and more particularly to boxes having handholds and designed to receive returnable beverage containers such asreturnable beer bottles.

The conventional slotted type box for returnable beer bottles normallyhas a pair of end closure flaps and a pair of side closure flaps, thelatter being foldable over the end closure flaps in closing the case.This box also has hand holds in the end walls. When these conventionalboxes are returned with the empties to the brewery they are put into anautomatic machine which removes the empties from the box s, the latterbeing then disposed of. During this procedure, the side wall flaps ofthe box must be folded down, and the end wall flaps must be held down bythe workmen until adjacent boxes are in a position to do the holding.This procedure is quite troublesome because manipulation of the endflaps involves the use of extra manpower. While the desirability ofeliminating the end flaps has been heretofore recognized, it washeretofore thought that if said end flaps were omitted this type ofone-trip box would have insufficient strength near the hand holds.

It is a general object of the present invention, therefore, to providean improved box of the class described which is so constructed as tomake it possible to eliminate the end wall flaps while providing novelmeans for reinforcing the hand holds, both during original handling withthe filled beer bottles as well as during the handling of the boxes withempties, the construction being such that it consumes no more materialthan the conventional slotted container.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a construction asabove described in which there are extension flanges on the ends of theside wall flaps which are cut from material which would otherwise bepresent in end wall flaps, said extension flanges being adapted to besecured externally to the box along the upper edges of the end walls ina position to reinforce the hand holds when the box is closed, the saidreinforcing flanges being adapted to be severed from the ends of theside wall flaps when the covers are ripped open so as to remain in handhold reinforcing position.

further object is to provide, in one form of the invention, additionalmeans connected to the upper edges of the end walls, and folded inwardlyof the container, for further reinforcing the hand holds.

Another object of the invention, in addition to the reinforced handholds and the two-flap return features, is to provide a container whichis easier for the customer to open.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of theimproved box with a single pair of closure flaps, and all of its partsand combinations, as set forth in the claim, and all equivalentsthereof.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numeralsdesignate the same parts in all of the views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the box prior to loading andprior to closing of the covers;

16. 2 is a similar view showing the box after it has been loaded andafter the covers have been closed;

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing the same box after the customer hasripped the side closure flaps to open position, the dot-and-dash linesindicating the cardboard partitions customarily used in beer boxes;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a cut and scored blank for the box of FIGS.1-3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the lineS-5 of FIG. 3

FIG. 6 is a perspective view like FIG. 1 showing a modification; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan View of a cut and scored blank showing howthe modification of FIG. 4 is made.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, first to FIGS. 1-5,inclusive, the box includes side walls 10 and end walls ll foldablyconnected to each other on lines of scoring I2, 13 and 14, there beingan assembly flap l5 foldably connected to one of the end walls 11 on aline of scoring to. The box is provided with the conventional bottomclosure flaps 17, 1d, 1% and 21? which are foldable on lines of scoring21, 22, 23 and 24 to close the bottom of the box in the customarymanner, these flaps being suitably secured to each other either bystapling or by an adhesive.

Instead of having similar closure flaps at the top of the box as iscustomary, the present invention provides a novel arrangement wherebythe objects of the present invention are accomplished while using thesame amount of material heretofore used in producing the conventionalboxes with two pairs of top closure flaps. With the present inventionthere are side wall closure flaps 25 foldably connected to the upperedges of the side walls It on lines of scoring as. These flaps departfrom standard practice by being provided with extension flanges 27 whichproject from the ends of the flaps 25 and which are foldable onperforated lines 28. As is clear from FIG. 4, these extension flaps comefrom material whichwould otherwise be part of end wall flaps. The restof the material between the extension flaps 27 forms an inner hand holdreinforcing flap 29 which is foldably connected to the upper edge of theadjacent end walls on double lines of scoring 36. Each of thesereinforcing flaps is formed with a hand hold 31 positioned forregistration with the end wall hand hold 32. The latter usually has thematerial within the outline left foldably connected on a lower fold line33 so that the hand hole is normally closed unless the material ispushed inwardly by the hand.

In the modification of FIGS. 6 and 7, all parts are identical and areindicated by the same numerals preceded by the digit 1. In themodification, however, the extra hand hold reinforcing flaps 29 areeliminated, as is clear from FIGS. 6 and 7. This renders thisconstruction somewhat less expensive to assemble.

Use

In the use of the invention, referring first to the form of FIGS. l5,inclusive, the box is first assembled to the con dition shown in FIG. 1with the hand holding reinforcing flaps 29 folded inwarly intoparallelism with the end walls 11. These may be glued or stapled in thisposition if desired. However, it is less expensive to do no securing andto make use or" the standard beer bottle partitions such as thepartitions 34 of FIG. 3 to hold the reinforcements 29 in the position ofFIG. 1. Thereafter the case is loaded and the side wall flaps 25 arefolded to the closing position of FIG. 2 with their longitudinal edgesmeeting at 35. The extension flanges 27 are folded at right angles onthe lines of scoring 23, and are either stapled or adhesively connectedin the position of FIG. 2. In this position the lower edges of theextension flanges 27 are in substantial registration with the uppermargins of the hand holds so that they serve as a reinforcement for thehand holds during handling.

When the user receives the case of FIG. 2 he inserts his fingers betweenthe edges at 35 and rips the side wall closure flaps 25 open by tearingon the perforatedlines 28. This leaves. the extension flanges 27 in handhold reinforcing position, as shown in FIG. 3.

When the case of empties is returned to the brewery, the hand holds arestill reinforced and there are no troublesome end wall flaps. The boxesof FIG. 3 with the empties therein may then be fed to the automaticmachine for removing the empties and there is no need to have extramanpower to manipulate end wall flaps and get them out of the way, asthere are no such flaps.

It is to be noted that the box of FIGS. 1-5, inclusive,

has the end wall reinforced in the'region of the hand holds on-bothsides of the end wallsthat is, the extension flanges 27 reinforceexternally above the hand holds, and the reinforcing flaps 29 reinforceinternally both above and below the hand holds and on the sides thereof.Thus, a very strong box is provided utilizing substantially the same.amount of material as is used in a standard slotted container.

In using the modification of FIG. 7, the procedure i invention can bemanufactured at approximately the same cost as a standard slottedcontainer while providing the important advantages of a return boxdevoid of end flaps, of a box having reinforced hand holds both beforeand after use by the consumer, and of a box which is easier for thecustomer to open.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contemplated as maycome within the scope of the claim.

We claim:

in a closed rectangular box of the type having side and end walls withhand holes in upper portions of said end walls and with a pair of sidewall flaps which have free edges which are folded toward one anotherinto closing position over the top of the box, said free edges beinglocated intermediate the width of the box and providing an access linefor the hand between said edges, the improvement comprising extensionflanges projecting from the ends of said side wall flaps and folded atright angles thereto on fold lines which are so positioned over theupper edges of the end walls that said flanges are located inoverlapping relationship against the exterior of the end walls above thehand holes, said flanges being devoid of connection with said free edgesof the flaps, means securing said flanges to the upper portions of theexterior of the end walls above the hand holes to rein force the uppermargins of the latter, said flanges having adjacent ends over said handholes which are devoid of connection with said free edges of said flapsand which meet at a line in alignment with said access line of the freeedges of the flaps, said fold lines for the extension flanges beingperforated lines to provide for opening of the box by inserting the handbetween said free edges of said flaps at said access line and by rippingthe side wall flaps on said perforated fold lines to leave the extensionflanges in reinforcing position on the end walls above the hand holes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,858,969 11/58Williams 22 9-44 2,865,554 12/53 Repking et a1 229-52 X 2,989,223 6/61Magazzu 229-64 X 3,019,959 2/62 Skowronski 229-51 X 3,050,229 8/62 Neff.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

